By Zephyria 
Not long ago, while drunk on wine and babbling nonsense to a court lady, I received an unexpected suggestion from the Emperor.
“…Refrain from going out?”
“I’m not saying don’t go out at all, just reduce it a bit more than you do now.”
“How can I reduce it more than now? You issued a confinement order a while ago, so I only go out once a week. Can that be reduced even further?”
“It can be reduced to once every two weeks.”
What? This crazy brat?
This is making me crave wine again. Does he think I just play around in the palace? Despite how I look, I have quite a lot of duties. Now that Joo Min-hyeok’s harem is officially empty, I am the sole concubine and hold the highest rank, so I have been acting as the proxy Empress.
On top of that, I’m completing a college course within the palace, so even if I had two bodies, it wouldn’t be enough. The sole joy of my life after rolling around in hard work is simply going out to the convenience store. Just once a week!
He wants to block my only pleasure, going out? Just once? This is unfair. He says his friends come to the palace, but I don’t even have friends.
Because I became a concubine early on, and due to the shitty laws that prevent the Emperor’s concubines from meeting people indiscriminately, I couldn’t even attend school.
Consequently, far from having friends, the only people my age around me are imperial civil servants, and since I can’t even interact with them comfortably, not to mention my social skills have gone to shit, I can’t even form proper emotional bonds.
When I see people living their lives diligently outside the palace during my outings, I get a positive, good energy in return. A feeling like I should live more diligently? A wonderful resolution to search for Seo-joo more diligently? He’s telling me not to get that kind of energy?
Am I supposed to just stay locked in my room watching online lectures while eating the Queen Dowager’s disapproval for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in this vast and deep palace? Even Hyun-wook is busy these days!
Of course, I didn’t say these things to Joo Min-hyeok directly. However, he seemed to notice my mood when he saw me trembling with clenched fists.
He lifted his upper body and sat close in front of me. After hesitating for a moment, he revealed the reason.
“I didn’t tell you because I was afraid the Grand Imperial Concubine would be scared, but there is actually someone targeting the Grand Imperial Concubine lately.”
What is he talking about now? He’s lying. Who would target me? But after hearing his words, my grandfather came to mind a moment later.
“…Why me? Who would know me?”
“Well, first of all, it’s true. Because of that, I’ve increased the security personnel and am monitoring everyone who enters and exits your Imperial Pavilion. I don’t know where that crazy person will appear….”
Joo Min-hyeok, who had become briefly excited, stopped talking and seemed to compose his temper. I looked up at Sang-seon, the aide behind him. When our eyes met, he nodded with a serious expression. What the?
Then it wasn’t just empty talk? Who is targeting me? Really my grandfather? Or the Queen Dowager’s person? Or perhaps Yeong-hwa-gung? Even without this, I had been bothered by Yeong-hwa-gung, who appeared recently. In the novel, he was described as a very upright person who never let emotions show on his face and was solemn and wise in everything.
The Emperor sought various pieces of advice from him. Later, he relied on Yeong-hwa-gung to the extent that he allowed him into the private office to work together. He is a man so intelligent and meticulous that it would be fair to say the ends of the Prime Minister, the Brigadier Generals, and the Grand Imperial Concubine came from Yeong-hwa-gung’s head.
Now that he has made a full-scale appearance to find his place, I must be a huge eyesore to him. That’s all I can speculate for now, but regardless, if the Emperor mentioned it himself, it’s clearly something I must be careful about.
“I am keeping a close eye on everything, so don’t worry too much inside the palace. And as you may have heard, you know the schedule for Monday, right?”
“Yes, of course.”
Of course I know. It’s been so long since I’ve had an external schedule that I was incredibly excited even though I was going for work. I already forgot the warning to be careful because someone was targeting me, and I couldn’t hide my happiness while thinking about the Busan schedule on Monday.
“So, I’m planning to leave early on Saturday…. Actually, that’s why I came.”
“On Saturday?”
I heard we were leaving Monday morning, so why the sudden change to Saturday?
“I heard there’s a famous hot spring there, and I want to go with the Grand Imperial Concubine before we handle the schedule. It’s my first time at that hot spring too, shall we go together? I heard it’s good when you’re tired.”
“A hot spring?”
Surprised by the unexpected proposal for a hot spring trip, my eyes widened. This was the first time Joo Min-hyeok had asked me to go on a trip together.
“It’s too simple to call it a trip, but I thought it might be a bit of a change of pace. I was recommended that the hot spring facilities are very well-equipped.”
“I’d love to, Your Majesty. I love hot springs!”
Being simple, I was completely won over by the mention of a hot spring and beamed a wide smile. Watching me with a somewhat pleased expression, Joo Min-hyeok fumbled for something under the table.
“And this is something I had custom-made for the Grand Imperial Concubine. I hope you like it.”
Joo Min-hyeok’s long, large hand shyly held out a package. What is it? Receiving it reflexively, I succumbed to the pressure of Joo Min-hyeok’s sparkling eyes, which seemed to urge me to open it in front of him, and carefully unwrapped the packaging.
Upon opening it, there was a cat doll contained in a transparent and beautiful box. Wow, this is really pretty. The deep blue eyes of the cat shone beautifully. It was obvious at a glance that they were expensive jewels. The fur was glossy and soft, almost like a real cat’s fur.
“Can I take it out and look?”
“Of course. It belongs to the Grand Imperial Concubine. Please, open it. It took more time because I had it remade as there were parts I wasn’t satisfied with. You said you like cats but find raising one burdensome. It’s absurd, but I wanted to give you at least a doll.”
I liked the doll so much that Joo Min-hyeok’s shy appearance seemed cute.
“The eyes are really pretty.”
As if possessed, I couldn’t take my eyes off the doll’s deep blue eyes.
“I told the artisan to pay special attention and make them with blue diamonds. Since you like it, the effort spent despite the time was worth it.”
Blue diamonds? It’s not that I’m greedy for material things, but this is huge. The fur was so soft it felt like a living doll. I wasn’t happy because the materials were expensive and good. I was just so happy by the very fact that I received a gift.
This was the first time I had received such a small gift from someone, especially from my official spouse, Joo Min-hyeok. It wasn’t the first time he had given me a gift. He never forgot birthdays or anniversaries. Though Sang-seon, who was right there, probably took care of it.
He mostly gave watches, rings, bracelets, and a car for this birthday. Since it was the first time I received such a small gift on a day that wasn’t a special occasion, I felt like I was floating. Of course, the price probably wasn’t small at all. Just these two eyeballs, how much would they cost?
“…Are you that happy?”
“Yes. This is the first time I’ve received a gift like this. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Did I express my gratitude too sincerely? Joo Min-hyeok’s expression looked, how should I put it, bittersweet. No, it might be my imagination, but he looked almost apologetic?
“No, it’s not that I have a lot of things I want. I just felt good, that’s all.”
“I will pay more attention from now on. I’ll give you gifts often.”
At the words that he would pay attention and give gifts often, I didn’t know how to react and could only show a smile. Why is Joo Min-hyeok suddenly acting like this? He probably did something he feels sorry about regarding me, right?
Whether it was because he saw Yeong-hwa-gung or something else, I couldn’t tell the reason. Still, there’s no reason to refuse when he’s giving. What I was worried about was what would happen if this became a habit.
Regardless of the reason, I’m grateful that Joo Min-hyeok is being nice to me, but it shouldn’t become a natural habit. Since he’s someone who will eventually become another man’s man, I hope he isn’t too affectionate toward me. Therefore, I must be careful not to like him.
∗ ∗ ∗
When I returned to my quarters clutching the cat Joo Min-hyeok gave me, Hyun-wook was waiting for me. I saw him yesterday too, but it had been a while since Hyun-wook was here at this hour, so I was very glad.
“You could come at this hour?”
“My assignment is almost finished, so it was fine. Sorry I couldn’t stay late. Did Brother go to the base?”
“Yeah. The base is in Gyeonggi-do, so the distance isn’t that far and we can talk on the phone every day. He seems at ease.”
“That’s a relief. But what’s that? It’s not a real cat, right?”
Hyun-wook looked at the doll I was holding with surprised eyes. Well, it’s too realistic to be thought of as fake. I held it out to Hyun-wook as if boasting.
“His Majesty gave it to me! It’s a doll, but isn’t it incredibly pretty?”
“This is a doll? No joke. Wow, the quality of the gifts His Majesty prepares is on another level. Amazing.”
“These eyes are diamonds.”
“Heol.”
While having such trivial conversations, I bragged to Hyun-wook about Joo Min-hyeok’s suggestion to go to the hot spring. While listening to my bragging, I asked Hyun-wook what had made him so busy lately. In fact, he seemed busy not only with schoolwork but personally, so I felt a bit hurt that Hyun-wook hadn’t mentioned a word.
“Hae-joo. I’ll tell you in a little bit.”
“Tell me what? Something is really going on, isn’t it? You have to tell me what it is so I can help.”
“It’s nothing like that. I’ll tell you around the time I finish the provincial schedule after going to the hot spring. I need to organize things first.”
Hyun-wook spoke in words I couldn’t understand, as if something was happening. I don’t know what he’s doing, but for now, I decided to wait for whatever it is Hyun-wook is doing.